Barret said, "We've seen the power they possess up front, and in the second half in parts of the game against the Chiefs, they chanced their arm with a bit more play in their game instead of the one-dimensional power game that proved successful last year.
"They've got another string to their bow with Beaudie [Barrett] and his kicking game, and they're dangerous.
"They're going to come down here and really have a crack at us."
After the disappointments of their 2024 season, Barrett said that having turned their season around from where it ended last year, they showed tremendous growth and high confidence.
"The stakes are high and we want to enjoy every moment of it. Finals footy is all about putting teams under pressure. That moment is putting a team in the corner, pressuring their set-piece and putting a team in a position they're not comfortable with."
Coach Rob Penney said the history between the sides was deep, and it would make Friday night a great occasion.
"The boys are excited about what the next three or four days look like heading into Friday."
The formula for success didn't change much.
"You've got to win the physical battles and ensure you capitalise when you get opportunities. You have got to keep the momentum and not let the Blues into our attacking half.
"The conditions will probably be challenging on Friday night, and the team with the least error rate and the best completions will be on top.
"You do need your quality players playing their best footy at this time of the year, and you need everyone else riding on the coattails of that to play their best game of the year.
"This is a new team, and every year it's an opportunity for the new group to stamp their mark, and it's this team's time now to see where it leads."
The Blues impressed in beating the Chiefs last week, first five-eighths Beauden Barrett was classy behind a pack that showed some ascendancy against a good Chiefs unit.
"They put the pieces of the puzzle together and got the outcome they wanted and have earned the right to be where they are."
With Tamaiti Williams out, George Bower starts at loosehead, and Penney has no qualms about him in that role.
"George has been magnificent for us, he's had an 80 [minute] and a few longer stints on the park so we've got no doubt, he'll do a great job."